2005 Fantasy Camp Diary
Final Wrap Up
(Sun., Feb. 6, 2005)
By Meg Goldsmith for Kerry and Craig
Kerry called on his way from Sarasota to the Tampa airport to give me a last update. The Awards Banquet was relatively noneventful for Kerry and Craig. Kerry played in the camp All-Star game Fri. afternoon so he knew he'd be getting a plaque for that. However, they misspelled his name so that is being fixed. He was one of 6-8 finalists for the Gold Glove award but, as usual, someone who has been in camp longer won it. Craig commented to me that you have to be a repeat camper to win the big awards because they need time to get to know you.
There was one new aspect to the camp this year. This is the 20th year for the Orioles Fantasy Camp and they've decided to start a Fantasy Camp Hall of Fame. Up to two campers and one staff member (clubhouse staff, trainers, pros, etc.) can be inducted each year. Campers must have participated a minimum of 5 years in order to be eligible. After this first season, the Hall of Fame members will select future inductees. For this inaugural year, the inductees chosen were Lenny Johnston, who runs the Sarasota complex for the Orioles as the staff inductee and campers Dave Murray, who has attended every single camp, and Carl Vizzi, a 14 or 15 year participant.
The campers got together and put a tribute to Steve Freeman, the
camp director, together and presented it to him. A couple of the writeups
were read aloud before they presented him with the collection of everyone's
memories. Kerry said one camper's tribute left everyone in the audience
with some moist eyes as the camper related how Steve arranged for some of the
Orioles to visit this guy's family member who was a big Orioles fan and very
sick in a Baltimore hospital.
One other highlight from yesterday was the presence of Mo Drabowsky at the
morning meeting. After having been told that Mo was quite ill and unable
to attend camp this year, the campers were pleasantly surprised to see Mo
yesterday morning. Kerry said he looked really good, despite having one
arm in a sling (due to the pacemaker implant surgery). Kerry related a
story that Mo shared with everyone at the meeting since it presents a side of
Earl Weaver not usually presented to the public.
Mo told the campers he had played for 16 different managers over the years "including Earl before he became a prick!" (Craig noted that the entire group of campers erupted in laughter at this remark as Earl stood sheepishly at the back of the room.) Mo proceeded to relate a story that illustrated his point about managers being pricks. He was pitching for the Kansas City Athletics and came into the first game of a doubleheader with his team ahead late in the game and he blew the lead. As a result, his team lost the opening game. He went into the locker room, head down, and sat in front of his locker when he felt a tap on his shoulder. His manager told him he wasn't going to be using him in the second game so Mo should shower and head home. Reading between the lines, Mo could tell this meant his manager had lost his confidence in him so he did exactly what the guy told him to do-- he showered and went home. The Athletics went on to lose the second game of the doubleheader. A year or two later, Mo was playing for the Orioles and they were playing a four game series late in the season against Detroit. Mo came into the game fairly late and Tom Matchik hit a two-run home run off him to win the game for the Tigers. Mo went back to the locker room and couldn't look at his teammates after having let them down. Sitting at his locker, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around. It was Earl and Earl told him, "Mo, I want you to hang in there. We need you so keep your head in the game." Mo told the campers he was flabbergasted. Most managers would pat you on the back when things were going well, but this was the first time a manager had given him a pep talk when things weren't going well. (At this point, Kerry said he glanced over at Earl and saw that Earl was a dabbing a few tears from his eyes.)
I asked Kerry for his thoughts about this year's camp. He said that without a doubt this was his best camp ever. Not so much for how he played, although that went pretty well, but he managed to avoid any serious injuries and also avoided nagging injuries. But having Craig present on the same team made it a really fun time for both of them. I asked him if they were already thinking about next year and Kerry told me he doesn't think about the next year until October or November because a lot can happen during the course of the year. What he didn't say was whether or not he's thinking about the reunion game, but I suspect it's something he'd like to attend. Unfortunately the date (June 4) falls right in the middle of a long Orioles road trip so it would be impossible to fit a return to Camden Yards into a Belfry Week trip. That would mean that for Kerry to attend the reunion game he'd have to resort to a whirlwind weekend-- flying in on Fri. and flying out Sun.-- and he's always found that kind of schedule difficult. We'll have to wait and see whether or not he and Craig decide to make the effort to go back or not. I'm sure it will depend in part upon what their business demands are at the time.
Previous Reports:
Day Five: Luck Is the Factor of the Day